Grover leaned down and kissed her temple. “I’ll bring a drink out to you. Any preferences?”
“A water?” she asked.
“You got it.”
“Come on, we’ve got a lot to talk about,” Gillian said with a huge smile.
If she’d been anywhere but here, with the men who’d literally saved her life, Sierra might’ve been a bit reticent to leave Grover’s side. But even though she’d just met these women for the first time, she knew them. She’d been talking to them in texts for a month. They were exuberant and friendly and funny, and because she knew each and every one of them had been through their own kind of hell, she felt an instant kinship.
“I’ll take the bag out with me,” she told Grover, holding out her hand. “I have a feeling we might need sustenance.”
“Tell me there’s something sweet in there,” Kinley begged.
“Mint chocolate chip cookies,” Sierra told her.
“Oh yeah, you’ll fit in just fine,” Riley said with a smile.
“Hey! Is she here?” a boy called out as he ran into the house.
“Yes, Logan, Sierra is here,” Oz told his nephew.
Sierra glanced at a boy who had the same brown hair and gray eyes as his uncle. He was also surprisingly tall for an eleven-year-old. “Hi,” she said.
Logan studied her for a long moment, then he stepped toward her and lifted his hand. Before Sierra realized what he was going to do, Logan had run his hand lightly over the hair on the side of her head.
Oz moved at the same time Grover did. Sierra felt Grover’s arm go around her waist and pull her backward, as Oz took hold of Logan’s wrist and gently pulled his hand away.
“What? What’d I do?” Logan asked, looking up at Oz in confusion.
“It’s not polite to touch people without their permission. Remember that bully in your class, and that little girl he touched?” Riley asked.
“But…I just wanted to touch her hair. Not her boobs.” The last word was whispered as if Logan thought it was a naughty word.
“It’s okay,” Sierra said, feeling awful at how sad Logan looked.
“It’s not,” Oz said firmly.
“I’ve never seen a girl with a shaved head before. It’s cool!”
Sierra breathed out a relieved sigh. It wasn’t that she needed the little boy’s approval, but she didn’t want to have to try to explain why her hair was so short.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Riley said. “Go on back outside and check on Bria. Okay?”
“Okay. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings,” Logan said.
Sierra smiled and nodded at him, then he turned and ran back outside.
“I’m so sorry,” Oz said.
“It’s okay.”
“People used to do that to my sisters all the time,” Doc said. “They had the coolest braids and afro, and strangers used to come up to them and without a word, touch their hair. I never understood why white people felt it was all right to fondle Black people’s hair without permission.”
“It happens to me sometimes too,” Ember agreed.
“It’s a little weird,” Sierra admitted. “I’d never go up to anyone and run my hands over their hair without permission. And I’m sure if I did that to a kid, their parents would probably go ape shit. But the difference is, I’m an adult who’s fully aware that consent is important. I don’t think Logan was considering that, and he didn’t mean anything by it.”
Ember smiled. “And he was right about one thing…your hair is pretty cool.”
Sierra wanted to roll her eyes. She wasn’t so sure about that, but it was nice to hear.
“You should leave it short,” Riley agreed.
“I’m thinking about it,” Sierra said.
“All right. Out, ladies. You can talk about hair and makeup without us men around,” Trigger grumbled.
Everyone laughed.
“You sure you’re okay?” Grover asked as everyone headed for the backyard.
Looking up at him, Sierra nodded.
“Thanks for not making him feel worse than he already did,” Oz said, interrupting them.
“I’d never do that. He’s a curious kid.”
“Still, I’ll make sure he understands why it was rude,” Oz reassured her.
“It’s really all right,” Sierra insisted. “He wasn’t the first and he won’t be the last.”
“He will be if I have anything to say about it,” Grover mumbled.
Sierra shook her head at him. “Down, boy,” she scolded.
Oz barked out a laugh and winked at her. “Love seeing someone put Grover in his place,” he said before heading for the yard himself.
“On second thought,” Sierra told Grover, “I’m thinking I might need a glass of wine or something.”
“You got it,” he answered. “For the record…you fit in perfectly with this motley crew. Just so you know.”
“I like them. They’re…real.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized that was absolutely true. No one seemed to be pretending to be glad to see her. They were affectionate and genuine, saying silly things and joking around with her and everyone else. She didn’t feel as if she had to be careful about what she said back.
Ever since she’d gotten home from overseas, she’d felt a need to watch what she said, desperate not to make anyone else uncomfortable. She definitely hadn’t trusted anyone enough in her hometown to say what she really felt about everything that happened to her, outside of her parents. She’d put on a brave, happy face and largely said only what she thought others wanted to hear. It was exhausting…another thing she’d realized right at that moment.
This group of people would never judge her for anything she might say or do. Sierra felt it down to her bones. She could truly relax and enjoy their company.
“They’re real, all right,” Grover said with a bit of exasperation. “Pains in the ass sometimes, is what they are,” he mock grumbled. “Will you save me a cookie?” he asked.
Sierra smiled up at him. “Yes.”
“You say that now, but wait until you see everyone fall on them as if they haven’t eaten for months. Especially Bria—you have to watch her. She’ll charm you out of half a dozen if you let her.”
Sierra giggled. “I’ll watch out for her.”
As Grover continued to stare, Sierra recognized that look. She licked her lips and did her best to keep herself from pushing him back into a closet or bathroom and having her wicked way with him. The desire slammed into her out of nowhere, but she didn’t feel bad about it for a second, since she saw the same need in his own expression.
“Girl time,” he said almost desperately. “Go on, or they’ll think I’m in here making out with you or something. Not that they haven’t done the same thing with their men.”
Sierra chuckled. She could totally see the others sneaking off to be with their husbands. That was another thing she’d already noted, that no one was afraid to show their significant other how much they were loved. Going up on her tiptoes, Sierra initiated a kiss.